Bluebird Run/Walk brings community together for mental health awareness and suicide prevention

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - More than 1,000 people participated in the 11th annual Bluebird Run/Walk at the J.R. Alfred Greenway Monday, raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. The event, hosted by NAMI Tallahassee, honors Brook Bowers, who died by suicide in 2012. Bowers' family was involved with NAMI and helped launch the annual event in 2015. The one-mile walk and 5K bring the community together to raise awareness and honor people who have died by suicide. 'I have several family members with mental health conditions and NAMI helped them, so this was a way to give back to NAMI,' participant Cindy Foster said. Foster has been participating since the event kicked off 11 years ago. She added she comes back each year because she is all for the cause. Volunteer and former executive director of NAMI Tallahassee, Nancy O'Farrell said suicide prevention starts with recognizing the signs and understanding the pain people may be experiencing. 'Their psychological pain has become so intense that you just can't live with it anymore, and it's really not wanting to die, it's wanting to stop the pain,' O'Farrell said. 'So if we can educate people to be aware of the signs, suicide can be prevented.' The event also included a mental health fair, where families could connect with resources for managing mental health and learn how to help others get the support they need. To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Nextdoor and X (Twitter). Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here. Please include the article's headline in your message. Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started.